Adjustable hosiery form



July 29, 1941. w. M. cxssELL- ADJUSTABLE HOSIERY FORM Filed Jan. 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z W 0. .5. J n C H R. ,1, m 2 w o 5 w a F mM m t L 0 mM H G 9 8 6 o v o W000000 3 0 M 0 0000000 1 m s 0000000 m v 0 0000000 F w. M. cissELL ADJUSTABLE HOSIERY FORM July 29, 1941.

I Filed Ja n. 26,. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NTOR M C/SSELL BY 0 22,4 rim, ATTORNEY INVE W/LLMM Patented July 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,250,747 ADJUSTABLE H'OSIERY FORM William M. Cissell, near Louisville, Ky. Q Application January 26, 1940, Serial No. 315,669

3 Claims. (01. 223-47) tion for United States Letters Patent entitled Sock drying machine, Serial No. 240,310, filed November 14,1938.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sock drying form having a foot portion that can be adjusted to accommodate various sizes of socks. c

A further object of my invention is to provide a sock form constructed and arranged to collect and direct heated air to the various portions of a wet sock clothed thereon.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a sock form having an extensible toeelement, which element has, operatively associated therewith, a frictionallatch for retaining the said member in its extended and closed positions relative to the foot portion of th said form.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sock form having an extensible element, which element has an actuating arm extending substantially adjacent to the heel portion of the said form, for facilitating operation thereof.

A further object of my invention is toconstru'ct and arrange the extensible toe element so that the same can be conveniently and quickly removed from the foot portion of thesaid form.

The advantages of these and other objects will be apparent as the annexed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: t

Figure l is an elevational view of one side face of my sock drying form illustrating the'extensible toe element 9 in closed position;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 1, illustrating the relation of the extensible toe 9 and the actuating arm 9a therefor, relative to the foot portion iii of the said form;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional View taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 1, illustrating the relation of the foot portion 8f, illustrating the toe element 9 in its extended position.

With reference to the drawings, it will be observed that my invention consists of a sock form 8 having, operatively associated with the foot portion 8] thereof, an extensible toe element 9 that can be adjusted to accommodate various that the foot portion must be dried on a form having a size substantially equal to that of the fit) sock. Therefore, in order to accommodate various foot sizes, I have provided an extensible toe element for the foot portion of the form, which toe element can be extended to the required length after the form is clothed with a wet sock. This feature has proven to be very desirable, as it enables the operator to determin properly the length of the foot portion after the form is clothed.

supporting base similar to that shown in my copending application, Serial No. 240,310, filed November 14, 1938, and entitled Sock drying machine.

With particular reference to Figures 2, 3 and 5, it will be observed that the body of the sock form 8 essentially consists of a relatively flat member shaped to provide a suitable foot portion 8] and leg portion 8L, which fiat member has a plurality of vanes or ribs 8n, on its opposite faces, extending from the neck portion 8n to the end of the foot portion 8]. These ribs not only serve to provide the required shape for the thickness of the form, but they serve to direct warm air, forced through the hollow support, .to the various portions of the wet sock clothed thereon.

Thus, my sock form 8 is of the type that directs warm air through the open top portion of the wet sock clothed thereon, and expels such warm air through the weave of the sock for drying the same. To provide efficient drying and shaping of the heel portion of the wet sock, it will be observed that I have slightly expanded the heel portion 8h of my form 8, the surface of which i grooved to provide proper circulation of warm air to the various portions of the heel.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 6, my invention principally concerns the provision of an extensible toe element 9 that slidably engages one side face of the foot portion 8 of my sock form 8. As hereinbefore mentioned, this extensible toe element is provided so that the foot portion is adjustable to accommodate various sizes of socks. It will be apparent that the foot portion 8 is shaped to fit the smallest sock size, and that the toe element 9 is constructed and arranged to accommodate the largest sock size, when the same is fully extended from its closed position. Therefore, with particular reference to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the contour of the end and side edges of the toe element conforms with that of the corresponding edges of the toe of the foot portion 8).

With reference to Figures 3 and 4 it will be observed that the ribs 912 of the adjustable toe element present a substantially symmetrical shape for the toe portion of the form 8, when the same is in its folded position.

In Figures 1, 3, 6 and '7, it will be observed that the toe element 9 has an actuating arm 9a extending rearwardly substantially adjacent to the heel portion 8h. In Figures 1, 5 and 6 it will also be observed that the arm 9a, slides in a channel formed by two adjacent ribs 821, which ribs run substantially parallel one to the other. The arm 9a. is provided to facilitate operation of the adjustable toe element 9, and it will be observed that the rear end of arm 9a terminates in a suitable actuating grip 9t.

To further facilitate circulation of warm air to the various portions of the wet sock, I have provided a plurality of apertures l4 in the flat member forming the body of the form 8.

The adjustable toe element 9 is frictionally secured in any of itsoperating positions by a suitable leaf spring illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, which spring is secured to the body of the foot portion 3 by means of a screw I2. The free end of the spring I!) frictionally engages the outer face of the toe element 9.

The toe element 9 is provided with a longitudinal slot 9s beneath the spring Ill. A pin l l 'is fixedly secured to the spring, which pin extends through the slot 98 and into an aperture in body of the foot portion 8 Therefore, the pin H is engaged by the end of the slot 9s, when the toe element is extended to its open position, for limiting the amount of extension of the said toe element.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the toe element 9 may be quickly and easily detached from the form 8, by merely disengaging pin II from the slot 93, whereupon the toe element may be entirely removed from the form 8.

As referred to at the outset, my invention has particular application to forms of the type that retain a sock in expanded form, so as to allow warm air, directed into the interior of the sock, to be substantially uniformly directed to the various portions of the wet sock. Therefore, when sock sizes larger than that of the foot portion 8f are encountered, the toe element 9 is extended, after the wet sock is clothed on the form, until the foot portion of the sock is expanded throughout its length. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the toe element,9 in its full extended position.

To fully appreciate the operating advantages of my invention, it must be understood that my adjustable form is primarily intended for use on drying machines of the type that provide for comparatively rapid handling and drying of socks. Therefore, it will be evident that an operator of such a machine will be confronted with the problem of drying socks of random sizes as encountered in the usual family laundering. Thus, my invention overcomes the difliculties encountered, by enabling the operator to adjust the foot portion of the form to accommodate the various sizes, even after the wet sock is clothed on the form. Accordingly, my invention has provided for more eflicient handling and drying of wet socks without requiring sorting of the various sizes.

Therefore, my invention has contributed materially to increasing the usefulness and drying capacity of drying machines of the type disclosed in my hereinbefore mentioned copending application.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An adjustable hosiery drying form comprising, a foot member having toe and heel portions respectively; an extensible toe element slidably mounted on the said foot member, and adapted to be moved longitudinally outwardly relative to the toe portion thereof, for adjustably varying the length of the said foot member; a leaf spring fixedly secured to the said foot member, and operatively engaging the said toe element, for frictionally retaining the said toe element in its adjustable positions; and a stop pin fixedly secured to the free end of the said spring; the said toe element having a slot formed longitudinally therein and receiving the said pin, for limiting the said outward movement of the said toe element.

2. An adjustable hosiery drying form comprising, a substantially flat foot member having toe, instep and heel portions respectively; a substantially fiat toe element slidably mounted upon the toe portion of one face of the said foot member, and adapted to be moved longitudinally outwardly from the toe portion thereof for adjustably varying the length of the said foot member; a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally along and laterally from the outer face of the said toe element; a plurality of ribs extending laterally from and longitudinally along the instep and heel portions of the said one face of the foot member and in alignment with the corresponding ribs of the said toe element; an arm fixedly secured to the said toe element, the said arm extending longitudinally rearwardly from the toe element and slidably engaging opposed faces of two adjacent ribs of the said foot member, for guiding the said toe element in its longitudinal movement relative to the toe portion of the said foot member, a leaf spring disposed between two adjacent ribs of the said foot member and fixedly secured thereto, the said spring extending longitudinally forwardly into operative engagement with the said outer face of the toe element, and slidably mounted between the corresponding two adjacent ribs thereof, for frictionally retaining the said toe element in its adjustable positions; stop means fixedly secured to the free end of the said spring; and a limit stop secured to the said toe element, and adapted to operatively engage the said stop means, for limiting the longitudinal outward movement of said toe element.

3. An adjustable hosiery drying form comprising a substantially flat foot member having toe, heel and instep portions respectively; one face of the said foot member having a plurality of spaced ribs extending longitudinally along and laterally from the toe, heel and instep portions thereof; the other face of the said foot member having a plurality of spaced ribs extending longitudinally along and laterally from the heel and instep portions thereof, and having the toe portion thereof laterally depressed to reduce the thickness relative to that of the heel and instep portions of the said foot member; a substantially fiat toe element slidably mounted upon the depressed toe portion of the said other face of the foot member, and adapted to be moved longitudinally outwardly relative to the said toe portion for adjustably varying the length of the said foot member, the said toe element having a marginal contour corresponding with that of the toe portion of the said foot member and a thickness substantially equal to the depth of the said depression; a plurality of spaced ribs extending longitudinally along and laterally from the outer face of the toe element, and in alignment with the corresponding ribs of the said other face of the foot member; an arm fixedly secured to the said toe element, the said arm extending longitudinally rearwardly from the toe element and slidably engaging opposed faces of two adjacent ribs of the said other face of the foot member for guiding the said toe element in its longitudinal movement relative to the toe portion of the said foot member; a leaf spring disposed between two adjacent ribs of the instep of the said other face and fixedly secured thereto, the free end of the v said spring extending longitudinally forwardly between the corresponding two adjacent ribs of the toe element and operatively engaging the outer face thereof for frictionally retaining the said toe element in its adjustable positions; a stop pin fixedly secured to the free end of the said spring; the said toe element having a slot formed longitudinally therein and receiving the said pin for limiting the said outward movement of the said toe element.

WILLIAM M. CISSELL. 

